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An Overview of the Anchorage

Homeless Prevention & Response System

Prevention & Diversion

Eviction prevention: serves lowing and people who have received an eviction notice.
Homeless prevention: serves extremely vulnerable people who are about to lose their housing.
Diversion: serves people who have lost housing and are facing imminent entry into shelter or sleeping outside.

– “Homelessness Prevention, Diversion, and Rapid Exit” USICH, July 2019

Outreach & Navigation

Effective street outreach reaches people who might not otherwise seek assistance or come to the attention of the homelessness service system and ensures that people’s basic needs are met while supporting them along pathways toward housing stability.

Core Elements of Effective Street Outreach to People Experiencing Homelessness” USICH, June 2019

Emergency Shelters

Emergency shelters play a critical role in ending homelessness. Effective shelters should embrace a Housing First approach, offer immediate and low-barrier access to anyone facing a housing crisis, and measure shelter performance in order to improve results.

– “Emergency Shelter Learning Series” NAEH, April 25, 2017

On-Going Supports

Ongoing supports include providing necessary services to families and individuals who have experienced homelessness to ensure that they can remain successfully housed.

– “Supportive Services Only (SSO)” HUD Exchange

Housing

Transitional Housing:  Providing interim stability and support to move to and maintain permanent housing successfully. Learn More…
Rapid Rehousing: Designed to help people quickly exit homelessness & return to housing. Learn More…
Permanent Supportive Housing: Combines housing assistance with support services to address the needs of chronically homeless people. Learn More…

Overview of the Continuum of Care

A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. CoCs represent communities of all kinds, including major cities, suburbs, and rural areas. In Alaska, there are two CoCs, the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, which serves the greater Anchorage area from Girdwood to Chugiak, and our partner organization the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness which serves the remainder of the state.

Research, Information, & Resources

Prevention & Diversion

Emergency Shelters

On-Going Supports

Transitional Housing

Rapid ReHousing

Permanent Supportive Housing

Housing 1st

Equity

CoC Essentials

According to Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a CoC is “a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness.” HUD identifies five necessary parts of a continuum:

  • Outreach, intake, and assessment in order to identify service and housing needs and provide a link to the appropriate level of both;
  • Emergency shelter to provide an immediate and safe alternative to sleeping on the streets, especially for homeless families with children;
  • Transitional housing with supportive services to allow for the development of skills that will be needed once permanently housed;
  • Permanent and permanent supportive housing to provide individuals and families with an affordable place to live with services if needed;
  • Supportive services, including homeless prevention activities